roll one's own
To create something of which an analogue is commercially available.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I prefer to roll my own cigarettes instead of buying them.”
“He likes to roll his own fishing lures to save money.”
“Instead of using the standard company software, the developers decided to roll their own custom solution.”
“If you cannot find a meal kit that fits your diet, you might have to roll your own recipes using fresh ingredients from the market.”
“She decided to roll her own website design because the existing templates looked too generic for her creative business.”
“Rather than relying on the widely available commercial frameworks, the lead engineer chose to roll his own, ensuring the system met their specific security requirements.”
From the practice of smokers who prefer to roll their own cigarettes from loose tobacco and paper rather than purchasing them commercially manufactured. The phrase entered the lexicon through this manual habit and was subsequently adopted by early computer programmers to describe the assembly of their own hardware or software components.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026